It was bouquets for achievements, brickbats over unfinished tasks and piece of professional tips from all across for Collaborative Training and Research Centre for Neglected Tropical Disease during its mid-year evaluation meeting held at Nech Sar Campus on 30th & 31st January, 2018. Click here to see the pictures.

Lauding CRT-NTD, AMU President, Dr Damtew Darza, underscored despite being in the nascent stage, the Centre is moving ahead and deliverables at national stage are proof that it’s pushing the envelope. And by the end of Growth and Transformation Plan-II its measurable results will be visible. Praising consultants for providing their expertise in the review and he assured unstinted support for its journey to achieve the set target and becoming the centre of excellence.

At the outset, the centre’s director, Tigist Gezmu, outlining achievements, revealed that the centre has submitted two proposals to solicit small grants of $ 75,000 & 100,000 from UK Department for International Development. It will help in improving access to mass drug administration for schistosomiasis and identify socio-cultural and programmatic barriers for equitable implementation of mass antibiotic administration for trachoma in South Nations, Nationalities and People’s Region.

She adds it has facilitated promising collaboration with Ministry of Health, zonal, regional, local health bureaus, global institutions and may tie up with RTI-ENVISION, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium and Children’s Investment Fund Foundation.

On future plan, she said that it’s committed to create awareness on NTDs especially on impact of WASH in Ethiopia where scabies has paramount import. Before the end of fiscal year, it’s expected to establish a radio program in Gamo Gafo, Konso, Basketo, ‘Field Research Site’ for surveillance of disease in humans, animals and also to control pathogens in human-animal-environment interface in some kebeles of Gamo Gofa.

It will work in tandem with university and other stakeholders in the construction of standardized laboratory; coordinate in-service training need assessment and organize tailor-made short-term courses for healthcare providers on surveillance, prevention and case management, etc.

The discussion ensued after delineation of achievements had both consultants Dr Teshome Gebre and Dr Ayana Yeneabat exhorting the centre to train its focus on communication. They said its imperative to communicate at the right time to get visibility boosted and linked to the appropriate players in the area thus gaining the leverage.

Later having scrutinized the overall achievements, the centre was told to develop standard training modules, have research publications on thematic areas, build staff capacity, rope in full-time researchers and prioritize impending tasks at hands knowing the roadmap.

The program started with, Tigist Gezmu, giving an overview, while Dean of College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dr Tamiru Shibiru welcomed the gathering.